Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENTThe 144-page coalition deal signed last week between Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU political union and the centre-left Social Democrats outlines steps to address “disinformation” and “targeted influence on elections”, citing “serious threats to our democracy”.The move comes amid mounting concern in Europe over the impact of electoral disinformation, and after a series of clashes between Washington and Berlin over free speech and democratic principles. Ahead of February’s German election, Trump ally and tech mogul Elon Musk tried to bolster the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), just as J.D. Vance delivered a blistering criticism of supposed free speech suppression in Europe at the…

Small power retailer Flick Electric is to be sold by Australian-owned fuel retailer Z Energy to one of the big four power generator-retailers, Meridian Energy.Meridian will pay $70 million for Flick’s 41,000 customers, most of whom are domestic consumers. The acquisition will lift its market share to about 18%.”Ampol’s divestment of Flick is about strategic fit as Z Energy evolves its strategy to focus on public, business and home EV charging solutions to scale and deliver a strong customer value proposition to support the energy transition,” a statement from Meridian said.Meridian, which already owns small retailer Powershop, said it would…

The state-backed Elevate venture capital fund is to get a $100 million injection in next week’s Budget as part of Government measures to boost high-growth technology companies with strong export potential.Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced the allocation in a pre-Budget speech focused on government measures to lift economic growth through lifting productivity, exports, and encouraging direct foreign investment.”The short-term goal is to increase start-up funding. The long-term goal is to help build a self-sustaining venture capital market in New Zealand in which returns from previous investments fund future investments.”Willis said $61 million from this year’s government contribution to the NZ…

Pornography found on the work computer of former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming is being investigated as alleged objectionable material, RNZ understands.McSkimming resigned as the country’s second most powerful cop on Monday amid a four-month investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and police.RNZ understands his resignation came after he was confronted with allegations that pornography, being investigated as alleged objectionable material, was found on his work computer.McSkimming declined to comment on the allegations through his lawyer.A spokesperson for Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said in a statement to RNZ that he had nothing further to add and would “not be commenting…

One man has been arrested by police investigating the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of railway sleepers from Auckland’s Glenbrook Vintage Railway. Witnesses called police on May 2 after seeing two men removing railway sleepers from beside active track.Waiuku Sergeant Michael Robinson said the witnesses managed to record a vehicle number plate as well as take video footage that helped to identify one of the men.”Police executed a search warrant a Pukekohe address where a number of railway sleepers were located and seized.”A man was also arrested at the address and will appear in court next month.”The heritage railway…

ADVERTISEMENTThe three Polish members of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group in the European Parliament are currently at odds over attitudes to Russia with other members of the group, according to several sources familiar with the matter.Poles Marcin Sypniewski, Stanisław Tyszka, and Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, elected on the “Confederation” list, are reportedly unhappy with their fellow MEPs’ general stance on Russia and the behaviour of some individuals in the group, according to the sources.Attendance of Bulgarian party Revival’s delegates – including MEP Stanislav Stoyanov – at the Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May, was an aggravating factor according to the…

The Prime Minister and Opposition leader are in a political feud over who is lying about the overhaul of the pay equity regime.Last week’s surprise law change raises the threshold for workers to prove they’ve been paid poorly as a result of sex discrimination.The move will save the Government billions of dollars — which would’ve otherwise gone to increased wages.Labour was calling that a pay cut, but National’s Chris Bishop, the party’s attack dog and previous campaign manager, said that was just not true and the Labour Party had “crossed the line into outright lies”.Finance Minister says $61m of the…

ADVERTISEMENTRadio Schuman spoke with outgoing Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt about Brussels being without rule for almost a year. She told us how this damages Brussels’ reputation, hurts locals and why it is so difficult to come to an agreement.Van den Brandt also touched on the uncertain future of the Metro 3 project, aimed at connecting the city’s northern and southern neighbourhoods, and the criticism of her vision to make Brussels liveable.We also head to the Western Balkans for the start of European Council President’s four-day tour as part of diplomatic efforts to keep candidate countries on an…

Police are calling for witnesses to come forward as the investigation into the death of 15-year-old Kaea Karauria in Napier on Sunday continues. A homicide probe was launched early Sunday after Karauria was found critically injured at an Alexander Avenue address. The teenager died at the scene.No arrests have been made. Today, police said it had received a “steady flow” of information through its anonymous portal, which was being analysed. Detective Inspector Martin James urged anyone who saw what happened to “come forward and speak to Police”.A scene examination would conclude today, as well as a post-mortem. Anyone with information…

A shopping list in his mother’s handwriting is all a grieving son could salvage from the remains of her burnt-down house – a crime committed by a 12-year-old boy.That boy is now 17 and in the High Court at Palmerston North on Tuesday he was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention for killing the woman in late 2020.When Justice Andru Isac reached his sentence, the woman’s son and other family members stormed out of the court’s public gallery.”You destroyed so many lives that night, including your own,” the woman’s son told the boy through his victim impact statement, which was…